How to Seek Sole Custody of Your Child? 

If you’ve decided to seek sole custody of your child, you’ll need to gather a lot of evidence to prove that it’s in the best interests of the child. This includes proof that the other parent isn’t fit to be a parent, evidence of abuse and violence, proof of mental instability, and more. 

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Generally, family courts prefer to award joint custody of children, but there are extreme circumstances that require full custody. Learn how to seek sole custody of your child in these situations. 

Sole physical and legal custody

When a court awards sole physical and legal custody to a parent, that means that the other parent is not allowed to make decisions about the child’s education, religion, or medical care. In some cases, a judge may also award the noncustodial parent supervised visitation with the child. This is designed to keep the child connected with both parents and reduce any potential trauma from short exposures to the parent who’s not in control. 

In these types of cases, it’s important to have an experienced family law attorney on your side who can fight for you and your child. Your lawyer will help you present a strong case and prove that you have the resources to raise your child in a safe and nurturing environment. 

How to seek sole custody of your child?

You can begin to pursue sole custody by filing an action with the court. After you do so, you’ll need to serve your ex-spouse with papers letting them know you’re seeking sole custody of their child. This process can be difficult and frustrating, but it’s necessary to get started on the road to gaining full custody of your child. 

If your ex refuses to cooperate, it’s going to be harder to convince the court that you deserve sole custody. In these cases, you should consider requesting an in-home custody evaluation. This will help the court understand your relationship with your child and how you live together. 

Record the activities of your child’s other parent – this can be as simple as keeping an appointment book or keeping notes about their absences at activities and appointments. Having these records can make it easier to show the court that you’re more capable of caring for your child than their other parent. 

Ask the court for supervised visits if you think you expose a risk to the well-being of your child. This is especially true if your ex has a history of mental instability, drug or alcohol abuse, or even domestic violence. 

The right family law lawyer can help you build a solid case for your request to receive sole custody of your child in court. This will help you prove to the judge that your child deserves full custody and can benefit from being able to spend as much time with you as possible. 

Getting sole custody of your child requires a substantial amount of evidence to sway a judge’s decision, as most courts prefer to see both parents involved in their child’s life. It’s important to have a Montgomery County, PA family law lawyer on your side who can fight for you and your child.